Attachment for ladders



p 1943- 'r. J. NELSON 2,329,643

ATTACHMENT FOR LADDERS Filed Dec.' 22, 1941 Iwuflzu'rbr madam [149/8012 Ill/l Patented Sept. 14, 1943 3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 2,329,6aa I ATTACHMENT'FOR LADDERS I Theodore Nelson; Chicago, Ill. Application December 22, 1942i, serial No". 423,921

4 Claims.- I (O1. tit-e238) i This invention relates toimprovements in at tachments for ladders and it consist of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out i-njthe appended claims.- r V I,

- It is oftenthe practifle to r'n-ploy ascaffold plankbetween two ladders and upon which'a person may stand or even sit while at Work. How ever, when such a plank is supported at'i-ts ends upon the like step members of said ladders, it is often found that the plank is disposed either above or below that intermediate elevatiorrwhich is suited for the bestworking conditions for the worker.

One of the objects of the invention is to provi'de a'simple and eflicie'n't attachment for a ladder for supporting a scaffoldplankatari'elevation intermediate those of two adjacent step memberson each of two spaced ladders when one attachment is used with each ofsaid ladders.

- Another object of the inventionis to provide an attachment of this kind which may be quickly applied to and removed from-a'la'jd'der without the'ai d oftools or-other devices and which when applied totheladder, expands outwardly to press against the stiles of the ladder with a firfn grip to insure against accidental displacement thereof while in use. 7

Again, it is an object'ot the invention to pro-. vide an attachment of this kind which may be formed from a length of relatively heavy wire and therefore may be produced at a very low cost.

The above mentioned objects of the invention, as well as others, together with the advantages thereof, will more fully appear as the specification proceeds;

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a fragment of a step ladder, to which one of the improved attachments has been applied for the purpose of supporting a scafiold plank at an elevation or plane between those'of two adjacent step members of the ladder.

Fig. 2 i a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale, through parts appearing in Fig. 1 as taken on the line 2-2 thereof.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the attachments on a scale enlarged over that of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 2 illustrating a slightly modified form of the invention.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawing and especially to Fig. 3, the improved attachment is preferably formed from a length of relatively heavy wire to include a pair of laterally spaced, substantially upright side members ilk-I0, each comprising an upper portion-1H, a lower portion lz and an intermediate horizontal portion l3. The upper portions Hj' -l I of the side members It' -H) are preferably spaced apart a distance somewhat greater than the distance between the side stiles I 4M- of a ladder which includes the vertically spaced step members l 5 fl*5. The top end of each upper pol? tion H; includes a horizontal step member engageable' art T3 having a downturned end H, the portion [6 being disposed ina plane at'a right angle to the plane of the intermediate portion l3.

Thus the top and part of each side member is formed to have a'ho'ok like engagement with one ofthe' step members of the ladder when it is of the flat step type as appears in Figs. 1 and 2.

The botton'rportions l2, -l 2 of the side members of theattachirient are spaced considerably closer together than said upper portions llll thereof as isapparent in Fig. 3 and the lower ends'of said portions; 12-42 are connected by a crotch omens [8; A- spacing between said portions l2'-l2 which permitsa grasping of both of them by one hand of the user is preferred. Each intermediate portion I3 is connected at its outer endto the bottom end of an associated upper? portion H: and-each intermediate portion I3 is connected-at itsiiriner end to the top end of an associated lower portion l2. From top to bottom, the distance between the crotch l8 and the horizontal portions N3 of the attachment is preferably greater than the distance between two adjacent step members I5i5 of the ladder as best appears in Figs. 1 and 2,

In Fig. 4 I have shown the attachment as' formed for use in connection with ladders having the rungs l5a:-I5;r: such as found in sectional extension and other ladders. Under such conditions the top end of each upper portion lI-H is bent into a semi-circular shape [Ex and is provided with a downward extension Il'a: so as to form a hook for engagement on the rung lilac as shown.

Generally the'stiles in most ladders converge inwardly toward each other so that they will pass between the stiles l4l4 of one ladder just above that step member thereof, to which it is desired to apply the attachment. After said sprung end portions have been so positioned, th attachment is moved downwardly until the parts H5 or I822: engage on the top surface of the step members 15 or [5:0 and the extensions [1 or l'la: hook behind said step member. The side members Il0 then spring or yield outwardly to grip against the inner faces of the stiles I4|4. The other attachment is applied to its associated ladder in the same way.

As the attachment has an overall height from top to bottom, which is greater than the distance between two adjacentstep members, the lower end portions I 2l2 will engage or bear against the front edge or surface of the step member be low when the upper end portions have the hooked engagement with the step member as before mentioned.

This disposes the intermediate portions [3-13 of both attachments about midway between the elevations of said two adjacent step members. Each end of a scaffold. plank It! may now be inserted between the upper portions Hll of the associated attachment, so as to rest in supporting engagement upon the portions l3|3'.

By making the attachment so that the upper portions of the side members may be sprunginwardly, the attachment may be applied to any step of the ladder from the top to the bottom thereof and when so applied snugly fits in place. When so applied in place, it cannot be accidentally dislodged so as to endanger the workman upon the scaffold.

Also as the attachment may be formed from a single length of relatively heavy wire, it may be made to sell at a relatively low price. The attachment does not include or require any screws or like device or any tools in applying it to or removing the same from a ladder. While in describing the invention I have referred in detail to the form, arrangement and construction of the parts involved, the same is to be considered only in the illustrativesense so that I do not wish to be limited thereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An attachment for a ladder and embodying therein laterally spaced and substantially upright side members having upper and lower end -portions, said upper end portions each being formed for a hook-like supporting engagement with one step member of the ladder and the lower end portions of both side members being formed and adapted for engagement against the next lower step member of the ladder, the attachment also embodying therein a scaffold plank engageable portion disposed in a plane between those of said step members and arranged substantially parallel therewith and supported from said side members.

2. An attachment for a ladder made from a length of relatively heavy wire and formed to provide a pair of side members, each including an upper portion and a lower portion, each upper and lower portion being connected together by an intermediate plank engageable portion, the top end of each upper portion being formed as a hook facing in a direction at substantially a right angle to said intermediate portion, said lower portions being'spaced closer together than saidupper portions, the bottom ends of said lower portions being connected together.

3. An attachment fora ladder made from a length of material and embodying therein upper hook-like portionsat the sides thereof, a lower and substantially U-shaped bottom portion, laterally disposed portions intermediate said upper hook-like portion and said bottom portion and each connected to parts of said bottom portion,

there beingside prtions connecting said laterally disposed portions, each with a hook portion.

4. An attachment for a ladder made from a length of material and embodying therein upper hook-like portions, a vertical side portion depending from each hook-like portion, a bottom U-shaped portion including spaced vertical side portions which; are connected together by a crotch for alateral yielding actiontoward and away from each other, and intermediate portions arranged at substantially a right'angle to said vertical side portions and each connected at one end to the bottom end of the first mentioned vertical side portions and each connected at the other end to the top end of the second mentioned vertical side portions.

THEODORE J. NELSON. 

